MSU holds seminar on women entrepreneurship in tourism

Tuesday, 25 April 2017 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism Management (Hons.) Degree students with the guest speakers. Seated from left MSI Director Sam Peiris, Shiromal Cooray, Amal Nanayakkara, Salome Senarathne, Dr. Nalin Abeysekera and Lecturer Seminar in Business module Nalin Gunasekara

Many economists and academics today agree that women entrepreneurs are an untapped force that can rekindle economic expansion in a country.

With more women in Sri Lanka becoming more entrepreneurial, it is only apt that they are provided with the knowledge and motivation to forge a path of success in their ventures.

It was with this mission in mind that the students of the Bachelor in Hospitality and Tourism Management (Hons.) program of Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia hosted a seminar on the importance of women entrepreneurship in the tourism industry titled ‘Women Entrepreneurship in Tourism’ at the MSU Colombo auditorium recently.

The keynote speakers comprised Dr. Nalin Abeysekera - Senior Lecturer, Open University, Sri Lanka; Shiromal Cooray - Managing Director, Jetwing Travels; Salome Senaratne - Area Director HR, Onyx Hospitality Sri Lanka; and Amal Nanayakkara - Director of Win-Stone School of Culinary Art Ltd.

The seminar explored the nature, motivations and extent to which women entrepreneurs can venture into and use their tourism and hospitality businesses as platforms for value creation and economic and community development. The keynote speakers also outlined their own experiences and successes in this sphere.

The seminar provided the opportunity for all participants to discuss as well as explore wider questions and implications on the role of women as entrepreneurs in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Voicing the aim behind this initiative, on behalf of MSU Malaysia, Senior Manager of MSU in Colombo Sam Peiris stated: “This project was triggered by recent claims that women entrepreneurs are a catalyst for innovation, value creation and social change, especially in niche markets such as tourism and hospitality. We have seen women entrepreneurs start companies when they see a need in the marketplace that they can fill and being agile, innovative problem-solvers, meeting corporations’ needs quickly, adapting to marketplace changes and providing deep value and cost-effectiveness. We at MSU wanted to lend a hand to such women entrepreneurs in the rapidly developing tourism sector and help empower, motivate and gear them to face the challenges of the industry. We strongly believe that recognising the societal contribution of women in this industry and providing them with the necessary knowledge and motivation is an important starting point in supporting women entrepreneurs in this sector and we at MSU wanted to play an active role in this area through this venture.”

For more information on MSU programs, especially about the next Hospitality and Tourism Management Diploma and Degree intake, contact Management and Science University, Colombo Learning Center through [email protected], telephone: 011 257 6900/011 257 6700, hotline 077 0777 880, or visit No. 300, Galle Road Colombo 3. Also log on to www.msi.edu.lk or www.msu.edu.my.